


Accuratezza

by swankinator64



Category: Death Note
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-16
Updated: 2017-10-16
Packaged: 2019-01-18 02:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12378678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swankinator64/pseuds/swankinator64
Summary: Time was standing dreadfully still on that day. It was a tense day in the placid autumn of 2003. This day was one that I had been awaiting months in advanced for-- this was the day that lingered within my corridor of thoughts for weeks on end. The day finally arrived that I would properly meet the world's greatest detective in person; a meeting was going to be held on this day with L.





	Accuratezza

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! This short story is about Mello's very first time seeing L in person. This is not canon whatsoever to either the manga nor the anime, but this was my fictional intake on how I saw it happen. In this story, the setting is strictly in the time setting of the anime (it is 2003 and Mello is ten years old!).
> 
> 'Accuratezza' is a term seen in sheet music that is used to describe something to be performed with precision. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

Time was standing dreadfully still on that day. It was a tense day in the placid autumn of 2003. This day was one that I had been awaiting months in advanced for-- this was the day that lingered within my corridor of thoughts for weeks on end. The day finally arrived that I would properly meet the world's greatest detective in person; a meeting was going to be held on this day with L.

Per usual, I despised one-on-one confrontation. On an ordinary basis, I was pulled into a conference room with one of Wammy's House's caretakers, mainly Roger, to discuss my shameful and violent behavior towards other kids in the orphanage. I was usually scolded for misbehaving or raising my voice in a threatening manner at somebody who I deemed to deserve it, even though they never met with the same consequences. I hated watching their serious expressions as they spoke the same words to me in a frustrated and disappointed tone; it was if they were mocking me for continuously acting up.

A feeling of dismay always washed over me whenever I was scheduled to have a peer mediation meeting with a caretaker. I always sat down on the floor against the wall next to the hallway with my arms folded while I waited to be called in. However, the feelings I had been experiencing were different this time. On this day, I felt anticipation dancing in my chest and lungs. It must have been causing my breathing to slightly quiver as I drew in long breaths through my nostrils.

The amount of respect and admiration I held for L was massive; everybody could particularly note how passionate I was about his ideals and morals. The closest thing the children at Wammy's House and I were to ever meeting L in person was when Watari arrived with that computer monitor of his, and he plugged it into the wall to reveal that recognizable letter 'L' on the screen. Then, we'd hear the sound of his voice with no warped filter on it.

He sounded much more natural and relaxed, and less intimidating without the filter on. Him speaking directly into a microphone was his way of indicating that he could trust somebody. He would answer almost everybody's questions they had written in advance and were just wriggling to get out of their system to hear his clever answer, including mine.

However, I could never picture what L could have possibly looked like. I was silently hoping that he didn't look like one of those sleazy businessmen who dressed in a suit and tie. With how incredibly intelligent he was, every bit of his qualities linked up to a man with an intimidatingly bold face, somehow. Well, in my eyes at least. If this prediction were to perhaps be true, it would be an issue. I absolutely hated being approached by those sketchy looking men who wore blazers constantly and gelled up their hair. To me, they were nothing but trouble.

Drifting off of the subject of how he looked, and more so about how excited I was. Excited was nearly an understatement for how I felt about having a private appointment set up with L himself. I was honored that my intelligence in general made me stand out individually in his eyes. It felt as if all of my work to gain knowledge has actually meant and achieved something spectacular in my life. Although, I didn't have the slightest idea as to what L and I would be discussing in the conference room. What could have been on his mind?

While my gaze had been boring into my antsy fingers fidgeting against one another as I thought about all of this, I was completely taken off guard when my name had been called. Never did I ever think I would be startled to hear my name being called to summon me.

"Mello." Watari's baritone voice was clear as day, and it almost resonated along the structure of the narrow hallway behind him. My eyes snapped up from my hands to gaze at him, only to be responded with a small nod of confirmation. In that moment, my throat felt tight while I pushed myself off of my spot on the tile floor to a stable standing position. I approached him and soon walked alongside him down the hallway. Truthfully, I had only slightly grown accustomed to the official alias Watari had assigned me. It had a much more satisfying ring to it than my real name, I'd have to admit.

The air was tense and almost tight while I walked beside Watari in silence. I wasn't the most comfortable with Watari yet, since he rarely visited Wammy's House as it was. Even though he was the official founder, he still had a lot to do. He was constantly traveling with L wherever he went to assist him, which was understandable. Walking down the hallway created a heavy and empty feeling to sink down in my stomach. It truly felt as if this narrow hallway was just an endless path.

When I thought it was never going to end, we finally approached and halted in front of the conference room door. We stood there in that same heavy silence for a moment as I just gazed at the door in front of me. At this point, I was sure even Watari could see me become visibly more nervous; the empty feeling churned in my stomach. Internally, I went over the rules that were discussed with me beforehand.

After seeing L's face, I would not describe to anybody what he looked like outside of the conference room. Anything we discuss would stay between L and I only. I also was not allowed to inform any of the other children that I met with L privately, let alone that he even arrived at Wammy's House to begin with.

"Are you ready?" Watari asks with curiosity ringing in his voice while looking down at my intimidated expression. I offered him a solemn nod, before he took that as a signal to grab a hold of the metal door handle, twist the knob, and gradually push the door open. I tentatively entered the room while Watari closed the door behind me, and the first thing I laid my eyes upon was L's back that had been facing me.

He was wearing a plain, long-sleeved white shirt, and a dark pair of baggy jeans. His hair was raven and bedraggled. His position in his chair was a rather unusual; he sat with his feet on the chair, his knees to his chest, and his hands resting on his knees. His appearance from his backside alone cleared my accusations of him being dressed like a skimpy businessman, and instead proved my suspicions to be the exact opposite of his true appearance.

"Has he arrived?" There was no mistaking that relaxed and pleasant tone of voice that filled up the conference room; this was truly L. As I sat down in the chair in front of the desk in the room, I allowed my hands to rest on my legs, and my fingers to curl up instinctively against the fabric of my pants as I awaited the reveal of his face.

"Yes." Watari spoke in a confirming tone, which allowed room for a brief pause. This also allowed L to spin himself around in the swivel chair he had been seated in, revealing his mysterious features. At first, he wore a somewhat somber expression on his face. His hues were large, dark, and boring into my face. Seconds later, his previously flat lined pale lips curled up into a delicate smile, bringing a hint of light into his eyes.

"Welcome, Mello." Hearing him say this practically thawed my heart. I studied his appearance in its entirety; as stated before, he appeared drastically different from what I had imagined, which was a good thing. A majority of the other children at Wammy's would have considered him to be almost scary looking; his ghastly porcelain skin and unruly ash locks were quite the combination in pigment.

However, I found myself becoming more relaxed the longer I looked at him and listened to him. He also addressed me by my alias so softly, almost as if he were to utter it in a negative manner, that he would shatter it. He must have been aware that I loathed my real name and getting called by it. My real name was a shameful quality of me I had to disgracefully drag along with me. My alias fit me better, and L was presumably aware of that.

"Watari, if you will." L's gaze flickered up to Watari as he spoke politely to his elder. Without a word in the room and without me turning around, I assumed that L was requesting that the room consisted of only him and I. My conclusion had been confirmed when I heard the doorknob click twice; once when it was opened, and once when it was closed again. L's smile fell as he adjusted himself slightly in his seat. He gazed back at me, while I watched his right thumb rest against his chin.

"So, tell me... How is Mello feeling right now?" With the weight of that question floating down to me like a feather, I felt almost as if I was sitting in a therapy appointment of sorts. I adjusted my posture in my own seat, while I pushed myself to sit at the near edge of the chair. My arms rested awkwardly against my legs as my hands intertwined with themselves. I knew not to tell a lie to L; even if I were to tell a lie, he would be capable to see right through it.

"Um," I paused, my uncertainty and anxiety ringing in my voice, "I'm nervous." My lips pressed together as I shifted uncomfortably in my chair.

A curious hum emitted from L's throat as his thumb rose to press against his lower lip. "Why is that?"

"I think... because I had different expectations of meeting you." My voice bashfully trailed off in an attempt to emphasize that I wasn't trying to offend him in any given way.

L studied my face for a moment before he slightly grinned against his thumb. "It is because of my hair, yes?"

I couldn't help but chuckle softly at his assumption while I shook my head. "No. In fact, I was picturing you as some professional looking businessman of sorts. You know... with a suit and tie on."

"... So, it is my hair." L's tone was a joking one indeed, yet he still managed to sound so calm.

A bright laugh bubbled up and arose from my throat, which was an unusual sensation on my part. L's sense of humor was often dry or bland, but I personally enjoyed it when he subtly sprinkled it here and there on a few of his speeches to the children.

"No. I am personally glad you don't look so... sophisticated." I spoke in an honest tone as my shoulders slightly hunched and fell back down.

"Good," His tone had a positive lift to it before his hand dropped back down to his knee. His fingers slightly curled around his knees while he drew in a deep breath and released it.

"We will begin the meeting." His dark hues gazed at my expression once again. "Does Mello have any idea why I am here today?"

My eyebrows drew in together as I shook my head in denial, causing the ends of my thick hair to tickle against my shoulders. The more the meeting had gone on, the more curious I had become. On an ordinary basis, I was an extremely impatient individual, but I respected L and was always swallowing down my instantaneous urges to discover something regarding his presence.

"As I thought." L nodded his head once. "Well, Watari and I both have been keeping our eyes close on you."

My hands squeezed together almost without my brainpower. Were there reports on how many times I was spoken to regarding my negative behavior? Did L know how many times I was pulled aside for becoming violent? Did he bring me here to tell me how disappointed he was in my irrational actions?

"... We both agree that for your age, you obtain an incredible amount of knowledge in your developing brain. This isn't necessarily excluding any of the other many clever children in this institution, though you have really stood out in our eyes as somebody who thinks similarly to me. Hence, why we agreed to assign you a professional and official alias for future use."

L seemed as if he leaned forward slightly and lowered his assuring and persuasive tone of voice.

"Assuming that you will continue improving in your rates of success and continue to improve in your studies, I could say without a doubt that I consider you capable of succeeding me if something dire were to happen to me."

With that statement, I could have sworn that my eyes lit up. I drew in a quick, yet deep breath through my nose as I made a lousy attempt to contain my excitement. A tingling feeling of adrenaline began coursing through my veins as I fought a smile from twitching onto my face. Usually, I hated the way a smile would stretch out my face, so I never smiled. However, I couldn't hold back the smile that eventually quivered onto my lips.

"Now, how does Mello feel?" L asks curiously with a warmer tone, even though he clearly knew the response I was going to give him.

"I'm excited," I exclaimed almost instantly, "I'm just... so happy that my knowledge is being recognized by you. Let alone by SOMEONE." It was true. Most of the other children, if not all of them only recognized me for my explosive temper and my tendency to think more with my heart than with my brain.

Assuming that my sudden peak in joy was enough to satisfy L, a gentle smile grazed upon his pale lips again.

"Good, good." His eyes then fell downcast to the desk in front of him. He appeared to be scanning the desk for something to fidget with; he looked visibly uncomfortable with his hands simply on his knees. He managed to find the loose metal spring to a pen lying inside the empty cup that had been sitting on the far right. As he reached for the spring and began to squeeze it between his thumb and finger, his smile fell and his gaze focused back on me.

"Now, with that being said, I did say not to exclude anybody else within the orphanage to be at the same level of intelligence as you." He drew in a gentle breath as his eyes suddenly became clouded with caution and determination. "I view one more person as a potential successor to me."

My smile fell as easily as his did. I don't have a clue why I had been curious and confused as to who the other potential successor could have been, but I was at that time. I blinked a couple times as I felt my vision almost zone out from staring at his slightly changing expressions for so long.

L paused for a brief few seconds before he spoke again. "It's Near. You're friends with him, yes?"

Suddenly, that's when everything barreled in and hit me all at once. The bitter taste in my mouth, the pounding in my chest, the anger rising from my feet up into my head. My throat felt tight as I swallowed a lump in my throat and clenched my jaw. At this point, my fingernails were sinking into my skin rather ruthlessly; my knuckles were white from my own vice grip.

L continued to stare at me. He had been seemingly observing my drastic change in expression and allowing that alone to answer his question for him. He paused in squeezing the spring between his fingers before he soon resumed again moments later. When he spoke again, his tone and volume in his voice were thoughtfully lower. He knew his words were foul to me.

"... How do you feel, Mello?"

I knew wholeheartedly how I felt. I was furious. My teeth were uncomfortably pressed up against each other as I kept my jaw clenched tightly. My heart was angrily pounding against my tiny chest. It took every ounce of my being to hold back the urge to shoot out of my chair, slam my hands on that desk and shout in a protesting manner somehow at L. However, my amount of respect for not only him, but also his judgment successfully halted those thoughts from being sprung into action.

"A little upset." I muttered dryly, lying straight through my clenched teeth. L knew I was lying, too. I could just tell just by the way he gazed at me that he knew I was just a balloon ready to pop momentarily.

"You're lying to me, aren't you? I know you are much angrier than you claim to be."

My eyes narrowed directly in on his dull and dark hues. Surely, my eyes were a pair of icy flames as they bored into his intensely. He was right and he knew it. More importantly, I knew it too. I didn't respond for a long while; I once again allowed him to receive my answer from reading my expression. After quite the sturdy silence, L dropped the spring onto the desk and set his hand back on his knee.

"Here is what I think," L began, the reassuring tone in his voice returning, "I don't think any less of you two. In my eyes, both of you are at the same level of potential and knowledge. I know this angers you to possibly no extent, but that's certainly okay. I get angry, sometimes." His tone fluctuated to something warmer.

There was another brief episode of unsettling silence before L spoke again.

"I had competition growing up, as well. I still do." L's right pointer finger tapped against his knee.

"Sometimes, being the greatest isn't always the most comfortable position to be in. Not only will somebody always have some form of competition, but plenty of dangerous people and situations will always be waiting to pounce at you. Everything is a test... People will come along to see how far you can go, before they try to deceive you or expose you. Also, add in the pure fact that everybody's eyes will expectedly be on you at all times."

My face seemed to gradually relax the more he spoke. Knowing that even L himself had some obstacles to face seemed to somewhat resolve a majority of the immediate anger I had been feeling previously, and instead rose the amount of relief I was beginning to feel.

"Becoming angry or nervous is a human tendency. Just because somebody experiences emotions more than somebody else, it doesn't necessarily imply that they aren't capable at achieving the most in life. Remember that for future reference." L's eyes then lowered down to the metal spring again. He extended his hand and gently poked at it.

"Now, if Near were to become my successor, how would Mello feel about that?" L's eyes seemed to narrow in on me. It appeared as if he were paying close attention to my response and reaction.

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, as my eyes then darted elsewhere in an attempt to completely avoid his gaze for a moment. After a moment of silence, my gaze flickered bravely back to L's mesmerizing hues.

"I would be extremely unhappy. I would feel defeated." My voice was hoarse and my tone was cold; it was an easy way to tell that I was telling the truth. There was no reason to lie to L, which made me wonder why L even asked questions at all. He practically knew the answer to every question he asked.

L hummed softly in curiosity and raised his thumb to his lips once more. "Then... what if Mello became my successor? Would you be prepared for that amount of responsibility? And the competition that would lie ahead?"

"Yes." I responded almost instantaneously, widening my eyes slightly to emphasize my compliance. I was absolutely willing to work as hard as I needed to achieve my most outstanding of goals. Anything that were to pose as a threat or a nuisance to me would be fiercely eliminated right on the spot. I would not allow ANYTHING to tread my path to success.

L nodded out of confirmation, before slightly shifting in his chair and beginning to rub his bare toes against one another.

"If I may share my personal thoughts," L's eyes rose from his toes to my expression once again, "I think the possibilities of Mello and Near individually surpassing me in the future is equal. This so called battle between the two of you may be long and tedious, but the two of you should take it lightheartedly for now. You're both barely ten years old. Also, I know that I exclaimed earlier that emotions are normal human qualities, but do not let them completely cloud your judgment. That could be the little hair of an advantage that separates that steady line between you two."

I nod my head slowly as I heeded his words of advice, taking it as personal criticism. Keeping my emotions under control was something I had always struggled with my entire life, and it often interferes with my mind. In that moment, I realized that L had been right. Surely, he had always been right. If I were to continue to think upon instinct rather than intellectuality, then that would be the equivalent of handing Near the advantage. While I thought about all of this, there was a more comfortable, contemplative silence.

"Does Mello have any personal thoughts to share before my meeting with Near?" L inquired with genuine curiosity and interest in his voice.

"Yes," I cleared my throat nimbly before I straightened my posture once again. "I've really admired you and your work for a very long time. I strive to become smarter every single day to eventually be as smart as you. So, when the day comes when something happens, I will have the honor of avenging you and surpassing you... for the greater good. It won't be Near-- it will be me." My tone of voice was confident. Perhaps a little too confident than I had expected it to sound.

Regardless, this causes L to smile against his thumb again. "I truly look forward to seeing Mello evolve. I see a lot of potential in you. However, remember to hold onto your originality. Being yourself is a giant step towards the success you are striving for."

His words filled me with a glimpse of hope. A small smile lifted onto my face as I nodded quietly.

"That concludes this meeting. It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Mello. I plan on seeing you very soon." L slightly pushed himself away from the desk while still looking at me, to emphasize the meeting's ending. I stood up from the chair, my smile still visible on my face.

"It was so nice to see you." The tone of voice I spoke towards L was indefinable, but I considered it embarrassing. This caused me to turn around rather quickly and open the door without looking back. After I closed the door behind me gently, this signaled Watari to begin escorting me down the hallway once again.

While I walked down the hallway, my eyes were averted on my feet rather than straight ahead. I definitely wasn't disappointed with my meeting with L; if anything, it was the most silently exciting thing I had ever experienced in my entire life. It was just a dreadfully excruciating feeling knowing that Near and I's heads would be bumping together for the rest of our lives.

To me, it seemed as if I couldn't ever have a solo spotlight on my own without being compared to Near in someway. It was almost as if what l said before about being yourself was a lie, because Near behaved almost identically like L and he received so much attention.

When I finally returned to the main room, I slumped back to the floor, my back sliding against the wall in the process. My insides felt hollow as I pulled my knees to my chest. My eyebrows drew in together once again as I chose a child to watch to possibly distract my cluttered thoughts. It was only effective for a moment before I heard Watari's voice again.

"Near." Even though he didn't say it loud, the impact of Near's name made it sound like it echoed throughout the entire building.

My eyes angrily snapped over across the room to where Near had been sitting, one hand fumbling around with some action figures and one hand twisting his thick strands sticking out of his unruly mane of white hair. When he heard his name, his eyes averted up from what he was doing and he pushed himself to a standing position. He left his toys on the floor as he approached Watari.

Unluckily, his eyes shifted over to the side for a moment and he caught my gaze. Once he did, it was almost as if he couldn't look away from me. His expression was blank, but his dark and eerie hues were filled with confusion and oblivion. It was clear that for once, he had no idea why I was possibly glaring a metaphorical hole into his expression. My jaw clenched again as I watched him walk with Watari and enter the hallway next to him.

Once I lost sight of him, I sucked in a sharp breath through my clenched teeth and released it when I closed my mouth again. In that moment I learned that stifling my anger was possibly going to pose more of a challenge than surpassing L himself. Though, no matter the cost, I was going to do it. Near was just an intimidating obstacle that I was going to knock down, and I would be there to triumphantly watch him fall like a domino. I would be the one to surpass L, and that was final.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: I wrote this short story about a month ago during the mass attack of Hurricane Irma. I was staying at my aunt and uncle's house and sleeping on a very uncomfortable futon in the living room! I was up several hours both plotting and writing this in a single night. I originally posted this on the Death Note Amino on the Amino App, and the amount of feedback I got warmed my heart! I hope you all enjoyed this short story!


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